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Don't Cry for Me Argentina
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is a song from the 1978 musical Evita with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Sung by the title character Eva Perón, it was titled "It's Only Your Lover Returning" before Rice settled on the eventual name. It appears early in the second act as Evita addresses the crowd from the balcony of the Casa Rosada and features a sweeping melody tied to broad emotional themes of regret and defiance, characteristic of Lloyd Webber’s most popular songs. The song shares its melody with "Oh What a Circus" and "Eva's Final Broadcast" from the same show. Original version[edit source | editbeta] The musical Evita was initially produced as an album, before being adapted for the stage, following a formula Lloyd Webber and Rice had stumbled upon during the production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Julie Covington played the lead role of Eva Perón on the original 1976 album from which the single was released. It reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1977 for a week, selling almost a million physical copies in the United Kingdom.[1] Together with digital sales since it has sold over a million.[2] The song was never performed live on British music show Top of the Pops as might have been anticipated, as Covington refused to do so without the full symphonic orchestra. During the week that it was No. 1, though, she appeared in the audience. Whilst producing the Evita album, Tim Rice had tried out various lyrics as the main hook and title of the song including "It's Only Your Lover Returning" and "All Through My Crazy and Wild Days" amid fears that mentioning Argentina would reduce the commercial appeal. Covington recorded both of these lines and a hybrid of the recordings was included on a rarities disc of Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now and Forever, a 2001 box set. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" appeared at the opening and near the end of the show, initially as the spirit of the dead Eva Perón exhorts the people of Argentina not to mourn her - "The truth is I never left you" - and later as she gives a final broadcast - "The truth is I shall not leave you". Shortly before the album was finally mixed, Lloyd Webber suggested to Rice that the line "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" also worked in the context of the new First Lady of Argentina giving a speech. Rice points out that in this instance "cry" refers to shouting or calling out rather than weeping. The B-side was "Rainbow High", a song in which Eva is prepared for her "Rainbow Tour" of Europe. When Covington chose not to take the stage role, Elaine Paige was cast as Eva in the London production. In the United States, the song is also closely linked with Patti LuPone, who performed the role of Eva in the original Broadway production of the show.[3] During the 1982 Falklands War between the United Kingdom and Argentina, the song was sometimes played sarcastically by British regimental bands as they deployed to the Falklands. At the same time the Covington recording was banned from play on the BBC.[4] The song was also banned in the Philippines during the dictatorship (1972–86) of President Ferdinand Marcos. The life of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, Marcos' wife, is similar to that of Evita Peron. The presentation of the musical Evita was repressed.[5] Cover versions[edit source | editbeta] The song has been either recorded or performed live by: *Julie Covington (1976) *Olivia Newton-John (1977, on her album Making a Good Thing Better)[6] *Carpenters (1977, on their album Passage) *Petula Clark (1977, CBS single, her French version "La Chanson d'Evita" peaked a #8 in France[7]). She also recorded an Italian-language version, "La No flores por mi Argentina" *Elaine Paige (1978 original London cast) *Shirley Bassey (1978, on her album The Magic Is You and in 1993 on her album Sings the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber) *The Shadows (1978) *Festival (1979 a dance disco version)[citation needed] (Later versions of album Disco Evita (Chronicles) (CD))[8] *Tom Jones (1979, album "Rescue Me") *Patti LuPone (1979 original American cast recording) *The Dooleys (1980, on their album Full House) *Joan Baez (1980) *Marti Webb (1981 on her album Won't Change Places and in 1995 on the album Music and Songs from Evita) Webb was the second actress to play Eva in London. *Donna Summer (1981) *Barbara Dickson (1985) *Helene Fischer *Stephanie Lawrence (1988) Lawrence succeeded Marti Webb, who had in turn replaced Paige in the original London production of Evita. *Laura Branigan (1990, on her VHS / LD Laura Branigan in Concert) *Sinéad O'Connor (1992, on her album Am I Not Your Girl) *Andrea McArdle (1995) *Sarah Brightman (1996) *Madonna, for the 1996 film Evita *The Mike Flowers Pops (1996) *Maria Friedman (1996) *Priscilla Chan (1997 Musical Encounters with Priscilla and the Philharmonic Orchestra) *Iza released a Eurodance cover version of the song on the CD "Dance World Television Hits Volume 2" in Poland in 1997. *Judy Collins (1999, on her album Classic Broadway) *Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (1999, on their album Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Are a Drag) *Julian Lloyd Webber on the 2001 album Lloyd Webber Plays Lloyd Webber *Elena Roger (2006 London cast recording and the 2012 New Broadway Cast Recording) *Tina Arena (2008) *Cilla Black *Sharon Campbell *Idina Menzel (2008 at Andrew Lloyd Webber's 60th Birthday Concert in London's Hyde Park ) *Fiona Hendley *Katherine Jenkins *Lea Michele and Chris Colfer (2010 for the TV series Glee) as a duet, with each singer taking a different stanza and performing before a different audience in a split-scene.[9] Their solo versions were also in Glee: The Music, The Complete Season Two *Nicole Scherzinger - (2013) Andrew Lloyd Webber ITV1 40th anniversary special *Amanda Harrison (2013) for ABC Classics as part of a compilation album, I Dreamed a Dream: The Hit Songs of Broadway[10] *Il Divo (2011, on their album Wicked Game) *Shir Ordo (2013, on the Israeli TV show "musics school" - "beit sefer le musica" in channel 2 [11]) *Vice Ganda (May 17, 2013 on his "I-Vice Ganda Mo 'Ko Sa Araneta" concert) Paloma San Basilio and Nacha Guevara recorded versions of the song in Spanish ("No llores por mí Argentina"). Katja Ebstein did a popular German version called "Wein’ nicht um mich Argentinien". Laura Branigan never recorded the song, but regularly sang it during concerts throughout her career. Gheorghe Zamfir also produced a classical version of the music as part of his Magic of the Panpipes collection. Madonna version[edit source | editbeta] |} American singer-songwriter Madonna recorded her version of the song for her starring role in the 1996 film Evita. It was released in December 1996 as the second single from the soundtrack Evita. For the single release, Madonna re-recorded the song as a dance remix, produced by herself, Pablo Flores and Javier Garza. The "Miami Mix" versions included lyrics sung in English and Spanglish. Music Video[edit source | editbeta] The music video was directed by Alan Parker and contained footage from the motion picture. A remix to the 'Miami Mix Edit' was also released. Live performances[edit source | editbeta] The original soundtrack version was used as an instrumental interlude on her 2001 Drowned World Tour. She performed the song exclusively in Buenos Aires at theRiver Plate Stadium shows of her 1993 The Girlie Show World Tour (before Evita), 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour, and her 2012 MDNA Tour. Reception[edit source | editbeta] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine commented: "Easily one of Madonna's greatest vocal performance to date, the singer's dramatic interpretation of Evita's unofficial theme song was both loyal and bizarrely autobiographical."[12] The single turned out to be a big worldwide hit, taking the number one spot in several countries, most notably in France, where it became her second number one (after "La Isla Bonita"). It was a U.S. top ten hit, peaking at number eight, and a number three hit in the UK (placing in the top 40 at the year end and selling 338,494 copies).[citation needed] Sales and airplay were aided by the dance remix. In Europe it was her ninth single to top the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 340,000 copies there.[13] Personnel[edit source | editbeta] *Writers - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice *Producers - Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Caddick *Remix producers - Madonna, Pablo Flores, Javier Garza *Orchestra - John Mauceri *Engineer - Javier Garza *Mixing - Madonna, David Reitzas, Nigel Wright *Photography - David Appleby Source[14] Track listings[edit source | editbeta] ;Notes *the Miami Mix versions are not remixes of the original version, the vocals were re-recorded and this version is produced by Madonna, Pablo Flores and Javier Garza. These versions also contain lyrics from "Eva's Final Broadcast" and uses samples of "Fracanapa", written by Ástor Piazzolla and performed by Ástor Piazzolla and his Tango Quintet. Charts and certifications[edit source | editbeta] | style="width:604.375px;vertical-align:top;"| Year-end charts[edit source | editbeta] ;Certifications |} Title origin[edit source | editbeta] At Evita Peron's grave in the La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, one of the plaques is a tribute from the city's taxi drivers' union. One of her epitaphs, roughly translated, reads: "Don't cry for me Argentina, I remain quite near to you."[44] References in modern culture[edit source | editbeta] In the Goodies episode Goodies and Politics, the song "Don't cry for me Marge and Tina" is sung by Tim Brooke-Taylor. In the third episode of the fifteenth season of The Simpsons, "The President Wore Pearls", Lisa sings "Don't cry for me, kids of Springfield" as she is driven away on the school bus. In the December 6, 2009 comic Pearls Before Swine, Pig says "Dunk rye for me Arch and Tina". In the TV series Glee, Kurt Hummel sang this song after leaving McKinley High School and transferring to Dalton. It was his solo audition song, suggested by Rachel Berry, and expressed his feelings about leaving the school, and his friends, behind. "Don’t cry for me, Salt Lake City" was featured in a 1997 musical, Saturday’s Voyeur (a parody of Saturday's Warrior), performed by the Salt Lake Acting Company.[45] In the sixteenth episode of the seventh season of the show Charmed, the character of Drake de Mon said "Don't scry for me Argentina". Category:1976 singles Category:1978 singles Category:1980 singles